Continuous fiber gathering device



Feb. 21, 1961 G. A. WALBOLT CONTINUOUS FIBER GATHERING DEVICE Filed NOV. 50, 1956 INVENTOR. z imzdfl W A T] ORNE YS l mited SW patfmo P CONTINUOUS FIBER GATHERING DEVICE Gerald A. Walbolt, Water-ville, Ohio, assignor to L-Q-F Glass Fibers Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. '30, 19,56, Ser. No. 625,524

3 Claims. or. 154-131 This invention relates broadly to a continuous fiber gathering device and more particularly to a device for gathering a plurality of glass fibers or filaments to form a continuous strand.

In the conventional method of drawing glass fibers from a plurality of streams of glass as such streams flow, or are exuded, from a body of molten glass, it is customary to gather these fibers into a strand before winding them upon a rapidly rotating forming spool to form a package. This rotating spoolprovides the necessary attenuating force for drawing'the multiple streams of glass into very fine fibers or filaments.

It has heretofore been the practice to gather the glass fibers together in the form of a strand by causing them to converge over the tip of a small pad of felt or other material. This pad is usually saturated with a suitable sizing or lubricating liquid in order to minimize the abrasive forces which exist between the pad and the fibers when they are drawn thereover. Since the strand forming operation is conducted by drawing the fibers at a high velocity, between 5000 to 10,000 feet per minute, it is obvious that a substantial frictional or abrasive force is created between the felt pad and the fibers as the fibers pass over the pad, even when the pad is saturated with a sizing or lubricating liquid. Therefore, in actual production, the felt pads tend to wear away quite rapidly and thus require frequent replacement. Also, in order to replace these pads there is necessitated a temporary interruption of the forming operation so that each time a change of pad is required, production time is lost.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an improved device for the gathering of glass fibers which has a relatively longer production life and requires less replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous fiber gathering device embodying an indexable peripheral surface for periodically changing the portion of the surface that gathers the fibers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous fiber gathering device having a removable fiber wiping surface to facilitate the replacement of such surface when it becomes worn.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be- 7 come more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fiber gathering device according to the present invention, shown in operative position for gathering a plurality of fibers or filaments into a strand;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the gathering device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the fiber gathering device taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the gathering device taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The present invention may be used in the formationof strands or yarns from any one of a number of materials such as glass, artificial silk, nylon, or cellulose acetate. In the present case, however, glass has been selected as the material used since the invention is of special utility in the production of strands or yarns from this material.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a receptacle 10 adapted to contain a supply of molten glass and having aplur'ality'of small apertures or orifices in the bottom thereof through which molten streams of glass flow by gravity or are exuded from the receptacle. The fibers 11 formed from the streams of molten glass are drawn downwardly at high speed and are gathered into a strand 12 by the action of the fiber gathering device 13 of this invention. While the fibers 11 are being gathered into a strand they are customarily sprayed with a suitable sizing or lubricating liquid from nozzle'l i, which is attachedto a suitable source'of supply of the liquid (not shown). As the strand 12 is formed it is wound upon a rapidly rotating tube 15 by means of a t-raverser 16 to form a package on the tube in a manner well known in the art.

The fiber gathering device 13 comprises an annular body portion 17 the periphery of which is provided with a V-shaped groove 18 for receiving the fiber wiping member 19. The body portion 17 is also provided with an axial hole 29 for receiving the reduced end 21 of a horizontal support rod 22 which is attached to a suitable mounting means 23. A wingnut 24 is threaded on the outer end of the reduced end 21 for securing the body portion 17 upon the support rod 22.

Formed in the bottom of the V-shaped groove 18 and disposed perpendicularly to the circular faces of the body portion is an opening 25 within which is inserted one end of a pin 26, the outer end 27 of which projects outwardly beyond the body portion and terminates in a point. The pin 26 is fixedly secured in the opening 25 by means of a set screw 28 inserted in a threaded hole in the body portion 17.

The wipingmember 19 comprises a pad of felt or other suitable moisture absorbent material which is adapted to fit into the groove 18 and is carried by the body portion 17. This pad consists of a single length of material and in practice, one end thereof is forced over the outer end of the pin 26 after which the material is pulled tightly around the body portion and the free end thereof then forced on the pin.

In operation, the fiber gathering device is normally secured in a fixed position so that a relatively small area of the surface is contacted by the fibers as they are drawn thereover. When this area becomes worn the wingnut 24 can be loosened and the body portion can be turned to present an unworn portion to the fibers. This can be repeated until the entire pad surface is used. When the pad has become so worn it may be replaced by simply pulling the old one off and placing a new one as is described herein above.

After a number of tests were run, it was found that the optimal operating conditions were obtained when the angle of groove 18 was between and degrees. If the angle exceeds 120 degrees difiiculty is encountered in gathering the fibers and if the angle is under 80 degrees the felt pad has a tendency not to conform to the shape of the groove. Additionally, the diameter of the body portion 17 was 1%. inches, since it was found that when the diameter exceeded this amount by too much, excessive wear of the pad resulted because of the increased contact area of the pad and fibers.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, but that various changes Patented Feb. 21, 196k in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for gathering a plurality of continuous glass fibers into a strand which fibers are arranged in circularly spaced parallel array, comprising an annular body portion, means for supporting said annular body portion in space, said annular body portion having a V groove in its periphery wherein the angle of the V is within the range of 80 to 120, a wiping member of absorbent material removably secured in the groove of said annular body portion and in contact with the entire peripheral surface thereof, means for mounting said annular body portion to position the wiping member in the path of the fibers, and means for rotatably adjusting said annular body portion to any one of a plurality of positions to present different areas of the wiping memher to the fibers.

2. Apparatus for gathering a plurality of continuous glass fibers into a strand as defined in claim 1, wherein shaped groove and projecting diametrically outwardly of said groove, and wherein the wiping member comprises a strip of moisture absorbent wool felt material encircling said grooved annular body portion and having its ends pierced and secured by said pointed pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 826,520 Meyers July 17, 1906 952,756 Palmer Mar. 22, 1910 2,096,925 Seres Oct. 26, 1937 2,224,149 Fisher Dec. 10, 1940 2,744,563 Mennerich May 8, 1956 

